


The Trade Off

by CajunSpice714



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: All The Tropes, Demon!Kylo, F/M, Fifty Shades of Grey References, Future Greencard wedding, Greencard Dating, Soulmates, Teacher-Student Relationship, There may be kink in the future but who fucking knows., This is gunna be sort of X-men meets Fifty Shades of Grey minus the kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 00:30:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20497913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CajunSpice714/pseuds/CajunSpice714
Summary: Ben Solo has a problem: He is a refugee from a planet under war with itself and his Planetary Pass is up for review. He wants to apply for citizenship during a time of great unrest but needs a wife or a child to secure his chances of being made a citizen. Rey Taylor, severely indebted student at the university in which he teaches, all but lands into his lap one day and he begins to wonder, can they help each other out?





	The Trade Off

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Viridiantly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viridiantly/gifts).

Kylo’s jaw shifts as he looks over the letter in his hand. How could this be possible? He had made very, very sure that nothing could have gone wrong with his plan. Did something slip through his fingers when he wasn’t looking? He had a good job teaching English at Alderaan University on New Alderaan, co-workers who liked him, and even a couple of people he could call friends. He had kept his interview timelines and paid his dues as he went, so how could it be possible that his time is up? He takes a deep breath, the air exhaled from his lungs curling in the air around him as he stares down at the paper in his hand. Stretching out his feet across the walk, he shifts, trying to relieve some of the stress lingering in his shoulders.

“Kriff.”

Papers scatter as someone trips over his clawed foot and he gasps as he stands, quickly shifting shape into one less intimidating before kneeling down to help the girl.

“I’m so sorry miss!” His voice is soft, practiced and metered, as he helps her to collect her things and offers the books back to her.

“Thank you.”

Her voice is soft as she accepts her things, hair falling from each of the three buns of her auburn hair that bounce as she nods at him. Her tear reddened eyes lock with his for a moment before she nods again and turns to leave, a soft sniffle following her as she dashes off.

Kylo sighs heavily as he moves to sit back on his bench, shifting back to his freeform, his tail flicking impatiently along the iron. A rustle startles him and he frowns, looking at his foot to see paperback book tucked underneath it. He leans over and picks it up, browsing the pages when a paper written in red ink falls into his lap. He scans the words before looking around again.

The girl he had tripped was an art student at Alderaan University. He skims the paper, feeling slightly guilty about reading over personal information until he reaches the bottom line:

Balance owed: $21,870

Kylo is under no impression whatsoever that Alderaan University is cheap, having worked his way through the university himself; however, this seems to be an extraordinary balance for the young woman. Licking his bottom lip he browses the paper once again. Rey Taylor. Maybe this was why she had been crying? Was she unable to pay for her tuition? A plan began to form in Kylo’s mind. Maybe, just maybe, they would be able to help each other.

Finding her address on the paper, he hums as he tries to think of a way that he can meet with her without seeming like a creep.

It takes him some time to finish grading papers, but when he has a spare moment he looked up Rey’s profile on the school website just to see if anything had been mentioned. He is not disappointed.

The first result is a bio in the Alderaan University Chronicle. She is a TA for the art department, a straight-A student and won the…. She’s this year’s recipient of The Skywalker Foundation Scholarship? Ben blinks before a grin spreads across his face. This is too perfect. He hums to himself as he browses the article more and the name Chrome jumps out at him. He can’t help the loud laugh that erupts from his mouth at how kind luck is being to him at this moment.

“What the devil is going on in here?” Says a voice from the doorway.

Armitage Hux, an elitist who currently holds the post of being the liaison between New Alderaan University and the Republic Naval Fleet, stalks in the door, frown deep-set into his pale face.

“Are you laughing?!” Hux seems scandalized by merely uttering the word, which sends Kylo into another round of boisterous laughter.

“Oh.. Oh force.” Kylo laughs, wiping his eyes before looking up at the bewildered, although still stoic, Hux.

“I’m sorry. It’s this article I’m reading. Have you heard of Chrome?” Kylo asks and Hux smirks, holding out a card to Kylo.

“I wasn’t going to invite you because you’re a right wanker, but Chrome is catering my event tonight. You’re welcome to stop by and…. Sample a bit of the fare if you wish.”

Kylo accepts the card, keeping a grin on his face as he tucks it into his shirt pocket.

Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer.

Rey rubs her face as she enters her dorm room, sniffling again before shaking her head. “Get ahold of yourself, you’ve figured out how to get out of bigger debt than this. You can do this.”

“You can do what, peanut?” The voice behind Rey startles her into squeaking with a laugh.

Turning she notices that her roommates are settled on the couch, Rose tucked up under Finn’s arm, Poe’s dark head resting Rose’s lap as they all watch her curiously.

“Get through work tonight. It’s one of those bachelor parties.” Rey chimes, putting on a fake smile before shaking her head. “It’s nothing really.”

She makes her way quickly into her bedroom, rubbing her eyes before laughing softly to herself. She knew her scholarship would cover half of the funding, but that still left her needing to pay 10 thousand credits that she didn’t have. The payment plan that the financial advisor had suggested to Rey was nice, 3 thousand credits every 3 months and then 4 thousand on the last month, but what was she going to do for the next semester if the same situation came into play?

Sighing heavily Rey texts her boss.

-Can I get a loan?  
-How much?  
-10k  
-Christ Girl. That’s a lot.  
-I know but I need it for school.  
-I’ll look into it. I don’t know how much I have.  
-You know I’m good for it.  
-I know.  
-Thanks.

Rey hates asking her boss, Phasma, for anything, even though the woman has been a huge help to Rey over the last 3 years. She helped Rey out with loans whenever she needed them, even though it meant that Rey had to nearly kill herself every summer working long events as wait staff for the various parties that Phasma’s company catered to.

Tonight’s event was a favor to one of Phasma’ associates, a man named Armitage who runs a campaign to rid Alderaan of demons, much like Taris had done once Demikind had made themselves known.

Rey shivers at the thought, remembering the kind man she had briefly met earlier in the evening. Yes, he had been the reason she had fallen, however, he had also apologized and helped her collect her things. Those of Demikind had never really given Rey a reason to distrust them, and the fact that she had been given no option whether to cater to people who were very much anti-immigration towards those who were seeking asylum from persecution on Taris doesn’t sit right with her. Heaving a sigh, Rey drops her bag on her bed before heading to change into her uniform for the night.

Rey knows she looks nice in the outfit that had been chosen for her to wear for the evening, a dark blue mid-thigh length dress that had an even darker high-low skirt over it. It made her feel ethereal as she walked amongst the well-dressed members of the engagement party, offering champagne to those who cast her a glance. The night wasn’t going nearly as poorly as she had expected. While she had been hit on a few times she had yet to actually be groped or pinched like the last party she had catered, a poker night amongst arms dealers.

The dealings of the parties that Phasma catered to was questionable on most points but the men tipped well and Rey didn’t mind the looks she received every now and again.

Tonight she knew that after the champagne would come whiskey and that's when her real job would begin, to coerce New Alderaan’s wisest and wealthiest into the back rooms where the more nefarious of Phasma’s girls awaited.

When Rey first started working for the older woman they had discussed the things that would be expected of Rey, however, the blonde had told her that she would never make anyone do a job they don’t want to do.

“No thank you.” A deep rumbling voice refuses the offerings of the tray Rey holds and she takes pause, frowning at the man she had just come into contact with.

“It’s you!” She gasps, looking around in surprise.

What was a Demikind doing at a party like this? Didn’t he know who and what these people are?!

“You need to leave it’s not safe for you here,” Rey whispers and the man’s face blooms from confusion to a wide smile.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he replies.

Rey frowns taking a step back. “Excuse me?”

Rey tries to step back further to disengage from him, but the man’s large, warm palm wraps around her upper arm while the other takes the tray and shoves it at the closest bystander before pulling her along with him. He guides her over to where Phasma is watching with amusement.

“Phasma, half an hour. Nothing explicit, I just need to have a discussion with this one. I’ll pay to double her wages for the rest of the night for the inconvenience.”

Double her wages for the rest of the night rings in Rey’s ears and she feels herself flush. 30 credits per hour for the remainder of her shift just to talk to him for thirty minutes? Rey takes in Phasma’s curious look and can only nod.

“If you get handsy I cannot be held responsible for her actions, she’s one of my more feisty girls, Kylo.”

Rey’s eyebrows dip at the friendliness in Phasma’s tone. Do the two know each other? Does Phasma know what ‘Kylo’ is?

He leads her into one of the less risque of the back rooms but once the door clicks shut Rey begins feeling anxious again.

“Talk,” she demands, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to hide her shaking hands.

“I wasn’t sure if you would recognize me but I’m-”

“The man who tripped me earlier, yes I know, now what do you want?”

Rey is exasperated with this man, and this entire situation, already. She just wants to finish this night and get home so she can figure out how much exactly she would have to work to pay back the money that she is going to borrow from Phasma.

“I found this.” He offers Rey the book from his suit pocket and she gasps, reaching for it before he pulls it away. “I also found this.” He pulls Rey’s tuition bill from within the pages of the book and sits, legs crossed with a Cheshire grin.

“What do you care how much some nobody owes the university?” Rey asks and his grin grows wider.

“I care very much about the welfare of my students, especially one such as yourself. I believe we can help each other out here, Rey.”

She blinks at him for a moment before giving a soft sigh. “Whatever. What does it matter to you?”

“It matters very much to me because I believe we can help each other out.” He gives her what she assumes to be a coy smile but she only huffs and turns to pace away from him.

“I’m not going to sleep with you if that’s what you’re after. I’m neither a whore nor an escort. There are plenty of other women here who would be happy to jump on your dick, Demi or not.”

Kylo chokes on a laugh that makes Rey turn, scowling. “I do not wish for you to be either of those things. Look. I’m up for a re-evaluation of my planetary entrance pass in 6 months. I’d like to apply for citizenship, however, I don’t qualify because I don’t have a significant other or a child that would allow me to stay if awful people like Armitage Hux get their way.” Kylo leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, curling his fingers into the dark hair at his temples.

“You can pay someone to marry you and surrogates are a thing as well,” Rey replies softly, the tone of Kylo’s voice sending a pang of loneliness searing through her heart. “If you’re here that means you can easily afford anything you’d want. Why seek out a college kid up to her ears in debt that you don’t even know?”

Kylo clears his throat, licking his lips as he looks up at Rey. She’s hypnotized by the swirling green that flashes through the mix of chocolaty amber of his eyes. “You know what’s happening on Taris, you know who these people are and you know what they’re trying to do. Even though I’m a stranger to you, you were still concerned for my safety and tried to get me to leave just now without any thought of the consequences.”

Kylo does have a point, Rey has to agree that she hadn’t given it a second thought when she had warned him.

“I can’t expect the same from some hired girl whom I can’t trust. You need me and I need you, it’s as simple as that.”

“What do I get out of this?” Rey moves to sit in the chair opposite of Kylo, licking her bottom lip as she watches the flash of surprise cross Kylo’s face.

“I.. Well... I mean.” He works his jaw for a moment and Rey can’t help but stare at the tensing and relaxing of his muscle there. “If we’re married, you’ll get free tuition. I have plenty of money, so..” He licked his bottom lip, all of the suave Devil-may-care attitude gone now that he had to actually sell his side of the bargain to her. “You could finish your degree without having to work, just concentrate on your studies.”

“But I like my job,” Rey states softly in a defensive tone, Kylo scoffs.

“You really enjoy liquoring up the rich and famous and trying to convince them to go sleep with your friends?” He inquires, shifting to straighten up in his seat a bit.

“I…well...”

Rey looks away from the intense staring contest she suddenly finds herself in and sighs softly. He is right, of course, she never felt quite right sending strangers in to engage with people she had come to know as friends.

“Well, no.” her voice is soft at the admission and she lowers her head, shaking it slightly.

“I can…I can give you someone dedicated and loyal to you, help you finish school, and with my connections I can get you interviews wherever you’d like to work, even off-world!” He slides forward off of the couch and onto one knee in front of her, hands sliding slowly up her bare calves to hook behind her knees, the gentle press of his grip causes Rey to shiver.

Kylo’s hands are large, impossibly so, wrapping completely around her upper calf as if it were a child’s wrist. She startles when he lifts her left foot, placing it heel and all to rest on his knee, fingers flexing along the muscle of her calf in a soothing way that has Rey relaxing even if she hadn’t quite willed herself to do so.

“Please,” he begs, pressing a kiss to the top of her knobby knee before resting his cheek against it, peering up at her pleadingly.

“H-how long do I have to decide?” Rey asks, and the smile that blooms across Kylo’s face makes Rey’s heart squeeze.

He’s quite beautiful when he smiles, she notes, sighing softly to herself.

“The law they’re trying to pass states that I have to be married for 45 days before my appointment, but with it still being so far away I’d like to have maybe three months of marriage under my belt, just so it doesn’t look...”

“Like you paid someone off to marry you?” Rey whispers, shivering when Kylo’s facial hair scrapes against the delicate skin on the inside of her knee.

“Yes, exactly.”

Rey isn’t sure why she has allowed him to get so close. When most people try to get close to her she shies away. A long history of abuse in her past sends warning signs to her brain that scream in terror at the thought of someone getting close and then being taken advantage of once again. But in this vulnerable position, with Kylo at her feet and his hands on her body, she doesn’t feel anything except peace. Something, either within herself or within Kylo, soothes her past distress and settles her into the feeling of his hands on her and she lets out a shaky breath. “S-So I have what...three months to decide then, right?” She asks licking her bottom lip.

“I suppose. We could court if you want. Make it look as real as you want it to be.” Rey nods at this suggestion.

“W-we should get to know each other then.” She suggests, licking her bottom lip again.

“D-do you mind if I change?” He asks and Rey blinks before standing to move to the door. “Wait, no I’m sorry if it scares you I --” His words die as the lock clicks shut and Rey turns to face him nodding shyly.

“I don’t mind. I’ve never actually seen a Demikind up close.” She whispers, dipping her head to let her hair fall around her face.

The air moves as Kylo shifts and she can feel it, like a vortex taking her breath away before settling. Rey stiffens as she looks up, taking in the Kylo’s new form. She hasn’t seen anything quite like him, and she can’t put words to how she feels. Thrilled would be one word, because Demikind isn’t as open with their free forms as she would have imagined them to be but now, able to observe one up close, she also feels shy.

He’s a hulking thing and Rey blushes when Kylo pulls off the too-tight shirt and sets it aside. He’s larger than Rey recalls him being earlier in the day, and she can’t help the way her eyes scan across his torso, dark purple skin on display as he shifts his shoulders. Rey jumps, an “eep” squeaking from her mouth as leathery wings extend and Kylo’s entire body shivers for a moment, like a dog fluffing himself after a long sleep.

Most people are intimidated and afraid to look upon Demikind simply because of their freeform’s intimidating size and unusual colorings; however, Rey’s eyes are drawn to the golden markings that line his body. A golden splash mars his right shoulder - a sprinkling of constellations, as if a painter had dipped his brush into golden paint and flicked it carelessly at Kylo’s skin, decorates his chest and (very well toned in Rey’s opinion) stomach, and a palm-sized kaleidoscope of gold and purple shimmers slightly just above his left hip bone.

She’s relieved Kylo’s pants seem to be containing him well, her eyes dipping below his beltline, quickly skimming over strong thick thighs and pronounced calves to clawed feet before returning to his face. While the structure had not changed so much, Kylo’s hair is longer and try as he might, as Rey could see him doing now by working his jaw with lips folded over, he couldn’t hide the growth of fangs.

She approaches him slowly, licking her lips as she does, before pausing to stand in front of him. In his human form, Kylo stands only a few inches taller than Rey, but now in his freeform Rey estimates he is a solid foot and a half, maybe two, taller than her. Reaching out she rests her hand on his arm, dipping her head forward a bit so she can meet his lowered gaze. “Hello.” She whispers.

“Hello.” He replies, his eyes catching hers and the color, a vibrant green-gold, takes her breath away for a moment. The hair raises on the back of her arms and the nape of her neck. She feels as if an electrical current has just traveled from the tips of her fingers that make contact with his arm, to the tips of her toes and back. She gasps softly before pulling her hand away, eyes wide as she continues to fall into the vast amount of emotions she can see hiding in Kylo’s eyes.

“I…sorry,” Kylo gasps, tearing his gaze away.

Rey feels empty like he has just sucked her very soul from her body. Her attention is pulled from Kylo when someone bangs on the door. Rubbing her face, Rey gives him one more look before going to the door. She unlocks it cautiously, licking her bottom lip as she peeks through the barely cracked door.

“Are you alright doll?” Phasma asks in her thick accent as she shoves her way into the room. Rey looks over her shoulder, relief flooding through her as she sees the pale skin and dark hair of Kylo’s human form.

“I’m fine, Kylo and I were just talking.” Rey gives Kylo a small smile and a nod before taking her leave, allowing Phasma to enter the room.


End file.
